فضائل الذكر
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) narrated that his Lord, Blessed and Exalted, said: "A slave committed a sin and said: 'O Allah, forgive my sin,' and Allah, Blessed and Exalted, said: 'My slave committed a sin and realized that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for sins.' He then again committed a sin and said: 'My Lord, forgive my sin,' and Allah, Blessed and Exalted, said: 'My slave committed a sin and realized that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for sins. I have forgiven My slave, so let him do as he wishes.'"
عن أبي هريرة -رضي الله عنه- عن النبي -صلى الله عليه وسلم- فيما يَحْكِي عن ربه تبارك وتعالى، قال: «أَذْنَبَ عَبْدٌ ذَنْبًا، فقال: اللهم اغْفِرْ لي ذَنْبِي، فقال اللهُ تبارك وتعالى: أَذْنَبَ عَبْدِي ذَنْبًا، فَعَلِمَ أَنَّ له رَبًّا يَغْفِرُ الذَّنْبَ، ويَأْخُذُ بالذَّنْبِ، ثم عَادَ فَأَذْنَبَ، فقال: أَيْ رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لي ذَنْبِي، فقال تبارك وتعالى: أَذْنَبَ عَبْدِي ذَنْبًا، فَعَلِمَ أَنَّ له رَبًّا، يَغْفِرُ الذَّنْبَ، ويَأْخُذُ بالذَّنْبِ، قَدْ غَفَرْتُ لِعَبْدِي فَلْيَفْعَلْ ما شَاءَ»
شرح الحديث :
When a slave commits a sin then asks Allah to forgive his sin, Allah, Blessed and Exalted, says: My slave committed a sin then realized that he has a Lord who forgives the sin, conceals it, and overlooks it, or punishes for it. Then the slave commits a sin again and asks Allah to forgive his sin, and Allah, Blessed and Exalted, says: My slave committed a sin then realized that he has a Lord who forgives the sin, conceals it, and overlooks it, or punishes for it. I have forgiven my slave, so let him commit whatever sins he wishes, and then follow it with sound and true repentance. As long as he does that – sinning and repenting – I will forgive him, for indeed, repentance destroys whatever came before it.